Uber reported 9.448 billion Trips in 2023, up from 7.642 billion in 2022, and Uber uses “Trips” to mean completed Mobility rides and Delivery orders. With that much activity, Uber rides become part of regular traffic, which means crashes with Uber drivers happen in the same places you already drive and ride.
A crash creates a second problem after the medical side starts, because the insurance process for an Uber case brings extra questions about the ride record and the driver’s status in the app. Freeman Law Firm, Inc. fights for Uber passengers and people hurt in crashes with Uber drivers across Washington. Call 888 to find out if you have a case.
Uber cases usually fall into two categories, and the insurance company asks different questions depending on which category applies.
Uber passengers deal with a ride record, a driver controlled by an app, and an insurance claim process that can start almost immediately. Adjusters usually ask about seatbelt use, the point in the ride when the crash happened, and whether the Uber ride was still active, since coverage can change based on ride status.
Collisions with Uber drivers bring identity and timing questions right away, like whether the vehicle matched the Uber profile, whether the driver had the app active, and whether Uber coverage applies. Plate photos, vehicle photos, and a witness name can change the entire tone of the insurance conversation.
The Uber accident lawyers at Freeman Law Firm, Inc. build the evidence around ride status, fault, and documented losses, then push the insurance claim toward a payout that matches the harm.
Uber records can answer questions that a police report does not answer, so saving the right screenshots helps.
Save Uber screenshots once it feels safe, and save the screenshots even if the crash looks small at the scene.
A phone photo of the actual vehicle and plate can also help, especially if the vehicle in the app does not match the vehicle at the scene.
Uber offers an in-app reporting path, and a report creates a record tied to the trip. Keep the report factual and short, and avoid guessing about fault or injuries, since wording in the first report can come back later.
Freeman Law Firm, Inc. requests and preserves Uber trip records, then uses the records to confirm driver identity, ride status, and timing for the insurance claim.
Most Uber injury cases get paid through auto insurance coverage, not from a driver’s personal bank account. Money for a settlement or verdict usually comes from one or more policies connected to the crash, so coverage questions start quickly.
Uber coverage can change based on the driver’s status in the app at the time of the collision. Insurance adjusters press on ride status because ride status can decide which policy pays and what limit applies.
Uber activity usually falls into one of the following stages:
A consistent set of records that match time and location can reduce coverage disputes.
Proof of ride status can keep the insurance claim in the correct coverage layer, which affects the policy limit available to pay a settlement.
Pain and shock can make decisions harder, so a short checklist can prevent avoidable problems later.
Medical care comes first, and medical records connect injuries to the crash with a date and symptom description. A delayed visit can still support a case, yet adjusters argue about treatment delay, so getting checked out sooner can reduce that argument.
A short note on your phone can also help, since symptoms can change over the first week and details can get harder to recall.
Photos taken near the scene help show what happened and help explain how the body got hurt.
Insurance adjusters request recorded statements in Uber cases all the time. A recorded statement can lock in wording that gets used later to reduce the insurance payout, especially when pain increases over the next several days.
Settlement offers can arrive within days. Money up front can sound tempting when bills start stacking up, yet a settlement ends the case even if the injury lasts longer than expected.
Adjusters may send forms that look routine, yet the forms can ask for broad access to medical history or require a release that ends the case before treatment finishes. Ask what a form covers and how long the authorization lasts, and avoid signing anything that allows unlimited access to records or closes the case before the full scope of injuries and costs becomes clear.
Insurance adjusters examine how Uber drivers handle pickups, drop-offs, and navigation, and each specific action can be the source of a fault dispute.
Pickup pins can place a driver past the entrance or on the wrong side of the street, then the driver tries to correct the route at the last moment. Sudden stops, abrupt turns, and late lane changes near a pickup can cause rear-end crashes, side-swipes, and pedestrian impacts.
A curbside stop creates risk for passing traffic and for riders stepping out into a bike lane or travel lane. Photos of the curb, the lane markings, and the vehicle position can help explain fault.
Drop-off zones near airports, hotels, arenas, and bars create short stops and constant lane changes are hot spots for accidents and can turn into an argument about safe stopping space, right of way, and reaction time.
Uber passengers can get hurt when another driver runs a red light, turns left across traffic, or drives impaired. Multiple insurance claims can follow, and Uber coverage can still apply depending on ride status and available limits.
Adjusters look for reasons to discount injuries that don’t appear as a fracture on an X-ray, and adjusters also look for ways to blame pain on a prior condition.
Soft tissue pain can limit sleep, work, driving, and basic movement, and adjusters may point to normal X-rays because X-rays do not show muscle, tendon, or ligament damage. Treatment notes, therapy records, and work restrictions can show the limits the injury caused and the length of time those limits lasted.
A concussion can look mild on day one and still cause headaches, light sensitivity, concentration problems, and mood changes. Medical notes that document dizziness, nausea, confusion, or memory gaps can strengthen the link between the crash and the symptoms.
A prior back issue or a previous joint injury does not erase harm from a new crash. Medical records can separate pre-crash history from post-crash change by documenting new symptoms, new limits, and treatment that became necessary after the collision.
Freeman Law Firm’s Uber accident team. links the injuries to dated treatment records, therapy notes, and work restrictions, then uses that documentation to answer insurance arguments about normal imaging, delayed symptoms, and pre-existing conditions.
Cases depend on documentation, and access can get harder as time passes.
Video can come from traffic cameras, nearby businesses, doorbell cameras, and dash cams. Businesses sometimes record over footage within days, so Freeman Law Firm, Inc. sends preservation requests right away and looks for additional camera angles before footage disappears.
Witnesses leave the scene and phone numbers change. A short witness statement can support the police report and help settle a dispute about lane position, signal color, or speed.
Modern vehicles store data about speed and braking, and Uber stores trip records tied to the ride. Freeman Law Firm, Inc. requests available records that support ride status, timing, and vehicle identity.
Washington auto policies usually offer personal injury protection, also called PIP, unless the policyholder rejected PIP in writing. PIP can help pay medical bills and wage loss through your own auto policy while the Uber insurance claim runs.
Washington’s statute of limitations for personal injury generally gives three years to start a lawsuit for injuries from a motor vehicle crash. A shorter deadline can apply in certain situations, and a longer deadline can apply in limited situations, so a case review should confirm the correct deadline based on the facts.
Washington uses a doctrine called “comparative fault” or “comparative negligence,” which specifies that the amount you recover can drop if the other side proves you share some responsibility for the crash.
Uber passengers are normally not found to be at fault in a crash, yet it can happen and arguments do come up when a rider interferes with driving or creates a safety hazard inside the vehicle. Crashes with an Uber driver raise shared-fault arguments more often, since the other side may blame speed, lane position, distraction, or reaction time based on the road situation and the evidence available.
Report the crash through the Uber app so the report ties to the trip, then save any confirmation email or message. Keep the report factual and avoid guessing about fault or injuries.
Ride status disputes usually turn into record disputes. Uber screenshots, phone logs, police report timing, and witness details can support ride activity at the time of the collision.
Police reports can miss details or contain mistakes based on limited scene information. Photos, video, and witness information can support follow-up documentation that corrects key facts.
A property payment can come with release language that affects the injury case. Read every release before signing and keep property documents separate from injury documents.
An Uber crash can take away your health, your income, and your sense of control over daily life. Freeman Law Firm, Inc. has represented the injured across Washington for more than 20 years, and we fight for justice and maximum compensation so you can recover and rebuild your life. Call one of our Washington offices to find out if you have a case.
Tacoma: (253) 383-4500. Olympia: (360) 338-6886. Renton: (206) 880-2454.
